The Saga of Nixie
by ZexionLover411
Summary: As a child, while playing by a lake one day, Bilbo happened upon a young mermaid and the two quickly became friends. As the years went by and Bilbo's adventurous nature faded he began to spend less and less time with his mermaid friend until one day he stopped going to the lake all together. Somewhere in him is the child she remembers, she just has to give him a little push. Hiatus
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own _The Hobbit_, it's characters or plot, I do however own my OC Nixie, anything new added and pretty much anything about Nixie. **

**The Saga of Nixie**

**The name "Nixie" is of German origin and means Water Nymph I didn't know this when I picked the name it's just a happy coincidence. I also couldn't think of a better title but if I do I'll change it. **

**Summary: As a child, while playing by a lake one day, Bilbo happened upon a young mermaid and the two quickly became friends. As the years went by and Bilbo's adventurous nature faded he began to spend less and less time with his mermaid friend until one day he stopped going to the lake all together. Somewhere in that little hobbit is the child she remembers, she just has to give him a little push towards certain death in the means of dwarves and a wizard. **

* * *

Young Bilbo Baggins was swinging around a stick, like a sword, by a lake. Fighting invisible foes and warning off evil with large swings and thrusts. He had twigs and leaves in his hair and mud covered his feet. His clothes were covered in dirt as well as his face but he didn't care as he continued to wave the stick around with a large grin on his face.

Unbeknownst to him, he was being watched. Bilbo plopped down by the lake, panting, sticking his feet in the water and kicking slightly. He watched the ripples spread out into the lake and that's when he saw it. Something white was peeking up over a rock about twenty or so feet from him. The moment his eyes locked onto it, it ducked down. Bilbo saw ripples move from behind the rock and jumped up. He grabbed his 'sword' and ran around the edge of the lake to see behind the rock. When he got to the other side there was nothing there. Bilbo frowned and scanned the lake. When he didn't see anything after a few moments he shrugged and picked up some rocks to skip them. After two failed attempts he threw a third rock in annoyance.

"Ow!" A voice squeaked. Bilbo's eyes widened as he saw ripples by another rock. Quickly he ran and jumped onto the first rock before jumping to the next. He looked over the rock he let out a surprised yell when he was face to face with very pale face, the owner of which let out a surprised yell as well, and fell back into the water. Being caught by surprise Bilbo didn't have enough time to take in a breath of air and ended up breathing in a huge gulp of water instead. As his vision started to blur he saw a flash of white and blue.

When Bilbo regained consciousness he was coughing up water on the edge of the lake. He turned to expel all the water from his lungs before laying back and breathing heavily. He remembered the face and the white and blue flash and quickly sat up. Bilbo frowned as he scanned the lake again.

"Hello?" He called, his voice a bit strained. "I know you're there! I won't hurt you!" Suddenly he saw a bit of white peeking over a nearby rock. He looked over and smiled. "Please come out, I want to thank you for saving me." The bit of white peeking out quickly ducked down again. "No, no please don't go away!" Bilbo stood. "Please! My name's Bilbo. Bilbo Baggins." He waited a few moments and frowned when there was no reply. With a heavy sigh he began to turn around.

"Nixie." He whirled around and his eyes widened when he saw a girl hiding behind the rock. Her skin was deathly pale with a blue hue to it, her lips were also stained a pale blue and her hair was pure white going down past his line of sight. He could see her hands on the rock; her nails were a purplish blue. What really caught his attention were her eyes, they were a startling bright purple.

"N-Nixie?" Bilbo asked blinking, remembering she'd spoken. "Is that your name?" The girl nodded. "Why are you hiding?" Bilbo asked with a small encouraging smile. "Won't you come out?" Nixie lowered herself a bit and Bilbo's eyes widen. "Don't go!" She stopped.

"What are you… Bilbo Baggins?" She asked, her bright eyes filled with curiosity.

"I'm a hobbit." Bilbo said with a smile then tilted his head. "Why?" He asked as his eyebrows came together in confusion. "Are you not?" The girl shook her head and Bilbo blinked. "Then what are you?" The girl hesitated. "It's okay." Bilbo said with a friendly smile. Nixie bit her lip before ducking down. Bilbo's smile dropped. "Wait!" He heard the water move then suddenly he saw the flash of white and blue under the water heading towards him. Once it was a few feet from the edge, Nixie poked her head out of the water. Bilbo stared in awe. "You're a mermaid." He breathed. Nixie nodded nervously. The blue the Bilbo had seen was her tail. The light from the sun made it twinkle and shine under the water. Bilbo began to smile. "I've never seen a mermaid before."

"Well, I've never seen a hobbit before." Nixie said quietly. She was still nervous and watching him warily. "What were you doing before?" She asked tilting her head slightly. Bilbo blinked in confusion. Nixie lifted her hand out of the water and pointed to the stick on the ground. Bilbo looked down at it then back at her.

"I was playing."

"Playing?" Nixie blinked. "Playing what?" Bilbo shrugged.

"I was fighting bad guys."

"Bad… guys?" Nixie frowned in confusion tilting her head even more. "What are those? I did not see anything. Are they invisible?" She began to look around in fear.

"No no no." Bilbo said shaking his head. "I was just pretending." Nixie blinked and looked a bit embarrassed, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of blue.

"Oh…" She said.

"Do you live in this lake?" Bilbo asked as he sat down and Nixie hesitantly moved towards him until she was three feet away.

"Yes."

"How come I've never seen you before?"

"…I was scared." She whispered.

"Scared? Of what?" Nixie didn't answer and looked down into the water. "Of me?" Bilbo started laughing causing Nixie to look at him with a frown. "You don't have to be afraid of me." He said with a smile. Nixie started to smile back slightly. "Ya know, my parents always told me stories about mermaids." Nixie tilted her head when Bilbo frowned. "They said they were bad." Nixie came out of the water slightly with wide eyes.

"I'm not bad!" She said shaking her head. Bilbo chuckled.

"I know; I can tell." He said with a smile. "They probably just told me those stories so I'd stay out of the water… hobbits aren't the best swimmers." He chuckled sheepishly. "But I'm sure you figured that out." He looked up to the sky and frowned when he saw the position of the sun. "It's getting late; I should be getting home."

"Home?" Nixie asked with a frown.

"Yeah, my mum and dad will get worried if I'm not back before dark." Bilbo said getting up.

"Mum and… dad?" Nixie asked quietly to herself. Bilbo picked up his sick and smiled at her.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He said. Nixie blinked.

"You will?" She asked tilting her head.

"Of course, we're friends now." Bilbo said with a growing grin before he turned and started running away. "See you tomorrow, Nixie!" He called. Nixie watched him go with an utterly confused look.

"Friends?"

* * *

**My third Hobbit fic, I just really wanted to do a fic with a mermaid and I have all these cute ideas and things. Never thought I'd actually write a Bilbo romance but considering it's Marten Freeman playing him it makes it a whole lot easier.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, its characters or plot, I do however own my OC Nixie, anything new added and pretty much anything about Nixie.**

**I have the next two chapters done ^_^**

**Nixie the Bloody Pixie: Lol that's funny!**

* * *

After second breakfast the next day Bilbo returned to the lake.

"Nixie!" He called with a smile. It only took a second for him to spot the white haired girl peeking over a rock. "Hello!" Bilbo said happily. Nixie ducked down and swam to meet him a few feet from the edge of the water where the land dropped off like a mini cliff. She put her arms up on the land and brushed her hair behind her ear. Bilbo took notice of how pointy her ear was. It was much pointier than an elf's or a hobbit's and went back farther.

"Hello, Bilbo Baggins." She said. Bilbo chuckled.

"You don't have to call me by my full name, just Bilbo will do." He said. Nixie nodded.

"Okay… Bilbo." She said with a small nod. "Bilbo?"

"Yes?"

"What's a friend?" Bilbo blinked.

"What do you mean?"

"You said we were friends, yesterday. I don't know what a friend is."

"You don't?" Bilbo asked with his eyebrows raised. Nixie shook her head. "Well… a friend is someone…. A friend is… someone you play with." Nixie blinked.

"But I've never played with you before."

"Well a friend is also someone you talk to and hang out with a lot."

"I only met you yesterday." Nixie looked even more confused.

"It's someone you're close to or _want_ to be close to, someone you want to hang out with and play together. Friends look out for each other and are always there no matter what."

"So… you want to be my friend?" Nixie asked. Bilbo nodded with a smile.

"Uh-huh."

"I've never had a friend before." Nixie started smiling. "What do friends do? I-I mean besides playing and talking and hanging out?"

"Well…" Bilbo tilted his head in thought. He had an idea and held up a finger to Nixie to signal her 'one minute' before he ran off. Nixie blinked and held up her finger before looking at it. Bilbo came back a few moments later and held out a flower. "Friends give each other gifts." Nixie blinked at the flower.

"You're giving this to me?" She asked with wide eyes.

"Mhm." Bilbo said with a smile as he saw a smile growing on her face. She reached out slowly and took the flower. Their fingers brushed and Bilbo noted how her fingers felt like ice while she noted that his almost burned. She smiled down at the flower before putting it on a rock. She held up her finger, not to signal 'one minute' but because that's what she'd seen him do, before she turned and dived into the water. Bilbo blinked and waited. She resurfaced with a big grin and held her hand out to him. In her hand was a blue seashell. Bilbo blinked in confusion. She'd gotten a _sea_shell from the lake.

"This is my favorite one; I want you to have it." She said.

"Really?" Bilbo asked with his eyes wide. "Thanks!" He gently took the shell and examined it with an amazed smile.

"Do…do you want to see the other ones I have?" Nixie asked hesitantly.

"Sure!" Nixie smiled, Bilbo's grin was contagious. She dived into the water to return a moment later with a hand full of shells. She moved to the edge of the lake and put them on the ground. Bilbo laid on his stomach to look at them all. "Wow, you found these in the lake?" He asked. Nixie shook her head which made Bilbo frown in confusion and tilt his head.

"I found them in the ocean." She said. Bilbo was even more confused now. How did she get to the ocean? The lake was closed off, there was no river attached to it.

"How did you get to the ocean?" He asked.

"I didn't."

"Then how did you get the shells?"

"I brought them with me."

"You're not from here?" Nixie shook her head. "Where are you from then?"

"I don't know." Nixie looked down at the shells with sadness. "I can only remember being here. I think someone brought me here and they brought these with me."

"Who?"

"I don't remember."

"Maybe your mum or dad." Bilbo suggested.

"What's a mum and dad?" Nixie asked. Bilbo stared at her, unsure of how to answer that.

"Your parents." He said.

"Parents?" She asked tilting her head.

"You don't have parents?" Nixie shook her head with a frown.

"Is it… normal… to have parents?" Bilbo nodded.

"I don't see how you can't have them." Nixie sunk into the water slightly.

"So I'm not normal." She said quietly. Bilbo's eyes widened.

"I didn't mean that you weren't-"

"Will you teach me to be normal?" Nixie asked looking up at him. Bilbo blinked. "Please?"

"Of course." Bilbo said with a smile. "I'll help you cause you're my friend." Nixie smiled.

* * *

"Mum?" Bilbo asked at the dinner table.

"Yes sweetie?"

"Is it possible for someone to not have parents?"

"Everyone has parents at some point; if someone loses them then they're an orphan."

"But what if someone never had parents to begin with."

"That's not possible." His mother said. Bilbo frowned slightly. "Where's this coming from all of a sudden?"

"I'm just wondering." Bilbo said with a smile and a shrug. His mother shook her head with a soft chuckle. "Will you tell me another story about mermaids tonight?" His mother smiled.

"Of course dear."

* * *

The next day Bilbo searched through the books of Bag End before running out to visit Nixie. When she heard him calling for her she peeked out of the water before popping out with a big smile.

"Bilbo!"

"Good Morning, Nixie." Bilbo said with a smile as he put the books down. Nixie tilted her head to the side.

"Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?" She asked curiously. Bilbo laughed.

"All of them." He said with a shrug. Nixie nodded.

"Then good morning to you too." She said. Bilbo chuckled. "What are those?" Nixie moved closer to the stack of books.

"Books." Bilbo said taking the top one off the stack. "I'm going to use these to teach you. And if you want you can read some on your own time."

"Read?" She tilted her head. "What's reading?" Bilbo blinked.

"This might take a while." He mumbled. "I'm going to have to give you reading lessons too then, I guess that also means you don't know how to write?"

"Write?"

"Let's just start with reading." Bilbo said with a smile.

"Okay." Nixie said with a nod as she returned the smile.

* * *

Over the course of the next few months Bilbo visited Nixie every day. He'd taught her how to read and write, let her borrow books his mother wouldn't notice were missing; they drew in the dirt and made boats out of leaves and twigs. Bilbo would bring her flowers every so often that there was a small bouquet on the rock in the middle of the lake. They would play as best they could with Nixie stuck in the water, playing I spy, skipping rocks, or just pointing out shapes in the clouds.

One day they were looking up at the sky as the sun had started to set. Bilbo lay on his back with his head pointed at the water and Nixie lay against the bank with her head next to his.

"I wish you could come to the Shire, to Bag End." Bilbo said softly.

"I wish I could walk… no run like you do." Nixie said with a frown.

"Have you ever tried?"

"I lack the required legs, Bilbo." She said turned to look at him. He turned his head to her and their noses brushed. He turned his head back and sat up. Nixie rolled over and looked up at him.

"I remember my mother telling me a story about a mermaid that walked on land. All she had to do was leave the water."

"I've never left the water." Nixie said with wide eyes. "What if I die?"

"I don't think being out of the water would kill you." Bilbo said shaking his head. "Will you try it?" He asked with a hopeful smile. "For me?" Nixie hesitated.

"Okay… for you, but only because you are my friend." She said. "Could you help me?" Bilbo smiled and held out his hands. She took them and he pulled her up out of the water. She rolled over and sat up. As the water began to fall from her tail her tail itself began to melt away with the water. She gasped. "Bilbo!"

"It's okay! It's okay, look." Bilbo said pointing. Her tail had melted away to reveal thin, pale legs. She wiggled her toes with wide eyes.

"It feels so weird!" She said. Bilbo laughed. Nixie looked from her feet to his and frowned. "Mine aren't like yours." She said sadly.

"Well you're not a hobbit." Bilbo said wiggling his toes. "These are hobbit feet. Those are…" He chuckled. "Nixie feet."

"Will you help me stand?" She asked. Bilbo smiled and took her hands. With much effort the two managed to get her standing but her legs wobbled and she fell into him, knocking them both down. "I'm sorry." She said with a frown. "You make it look so easy." Bilbo chuckled.

"I've had years of practice." He said as he helped her stand once more. "But don't worry, with me helping you, you'll learn in no time." Nixie smiled right before they tumbled again and burst into laughter.

* * *

**Ah this is cute isn't it? I can't help smiling as I write this. ^_^ Next one out soon.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, its characters or plot, I do however own my OC Nixie, anything new added and pretty much anything about Nixie.**

**Big thank you to all reviewers ^_^**

* * *

After learning of Nixie's ability to have legs out of the water, Bilbo helped her walk and helped build up her new leg muscles. Within the next month the two were able to run around and play tag or hide and seek. Bilbo would bring some of his clothes each day to lend to Nixie since she seemed to get cold very easily unless she was in the water, no matter how freezing it was, and because it was rather awkward to have her running around naked. When she was in the water whatever skin the watered touched would look smooth and like scales, the same colour of her tail but lighter, and her hair was straight when weight down but curled up a bit when dried.

The two would play pretend with sticks for swords and climb trees. Often they would pretend Bilbo was a knight who had to save the princess from evil. On most days they would just run around laughing. They dreaded the rainy days, not because Nixie couldn't leave the water – the rain wasn't enough water to affect her tail – but because Bilbo's mother wouldn't let him leave the house.

…

One day as a storm was rolling in, Bilbo slipped out of Bag End unnoticed and made his way to the lake calling for his friend.

"Nixie!" The mermaid popped out of the water.

"Bilbo? A storm is coming; your mother let you come outside?"

"She doesn't know I've gone." He said with a grin.

"You silly boy." Nixie laughed.

"I didn't want to wait two days to see you again, come with me." He said holding out his hands. Nixie blinked. "Stay the night at Bag End." He said.

"What will your mother say?"

"She won't know." Bilbo said with a wink. Nixie giggled and took his hands to allow him to pull her up. After her tail had melted away and she'd slipped on the clothes Bilbo brought for her he grabbed her hand and they started running to the Shire.

"I can't believe I'm going to see it!" Bilbo looked back at her with a grin.

…

The two made their way to Bag End without many people noticing since they were all inside, the storm almost overhead. They slipped into Bag End and Bilbo looked around, he saw his mother in the kitchen making tea and quickly ushered Nixie down the hall and into his room. He closed his door behind them and let out an airy laugh. Nixie smiled at him.

"So this is where you live." She said in a whispered. Bilbo nodded. "It's so big, not as big as my lake but still big." She said with a shrug.

"Not everyone can live in a lake you know." Bilbo said with a chuckle as he nudged her arm making her giggle. He grabbed his blanket and tied one end to his bed post.

"What are you doing?" Nixie asked.

"You'll see." Bilbo said with a grin. Nixie sat on his bed and watched as he tied the blanket to other things around the room until he'd made a tent. He grabbed a second blanket from the bed along with his pillows and put them down on the floor before lying down. Nixie giggled and joined him. The two spend the whole day talking, listening to the rain and watching the lightning as they lay on Bilbo's floor. When it was time for lunch or dinner or supper Bilbo would leave for a few minutes only to return with food for Nixie. It was fun to watch her try the new foods. When night finally fell Bilbo's mother entered the room. She chuckled at the tent he'd made as he popped up from behind it.

"Don't stay up too late now, dear." She said.

"I won't." He said with a smile before she closed the door. He rejoined Nixie who smiled.

"Your mum's voice is nice." She said. Bilbo smiled and nodded in agreement. He moved some of the pillows and fixed the blankets for them to sleep on. They laid down next to each other and looked up at the blanket above them. "I've never slept out of water before."

"I've never slept _in_ water." Bilbo said turning his head to her. She turned her head and their noses brushed causing her to giggle. Bilbo turned on his side to face her and she did the same with a smile. "How do you make sure you don't float up when you sleep?" Bilbo asked when the thought occurred to him. Nixie giggled.

"There's a small cave under the water."

"Well how do you make sure you don't wake up on the ceiling?"

"I hold onto something." She said with a shrug.

"You can hold onto me." Bilbo said. Nixie blinked. "To help you fall asleep." Nixie smiled and wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm trusting you to not let me float to the ceiling, kay?" She asked. Bilbo chuckled and wrapped his arms around her with a smile.

"Okay." He whispered.

* * *

It had been many years since Bilbo had first met Nixie and the two had changed; you could say they were teenagers though Bilbo was well into his twenties and neither knew how old Nixie was. Bilbo's hair was much more blond now but still very curly and his eyes still held their sparkle for adventure. He had been coming to the lake less and less every week, he explained that he was just busier now, but when he did come Nixie's heart would soar.

"Nixie!" He called as he ran out to the lake, grinning when she popped out of the water. Her hair had grown longer and she'd grown a bit bigger but was still very petite and close to a hobbit's size only being an inch or two taller than Bilbo himself.

"Bilbo! I haven't seen you all week." She whined. "What've you got behind your back?" She asked excitedly. "Another flower?" Bilbo chuckled and shook his head.

"It's been years and you're still excited to get flowers from me."

"Of course." She said with a smile. He smiled fondly at her. "Well? What kind is it this time?"

"It's not a flower."

"Awe." She pouted slightly. He chuckled and sat on the edge of the water.

"Don't be sad, Nix. It's something better." Her eyes lit up and she put her hands on the ground to push herself up.

"What is it? What is it?" She asked. Bilbo held out his hand. Nixie blinked and tilted her head. "What is it?" She asked looking up at him.

"Give me your hand." He said. She held out her hand and he took it gently, turning it over before slipping a small silver ring onto her finger. She looked at it with wide eyes as she held it up with a smile.

"This is beautiful." She said. Bilbo chuckled.

"It's only a plain silver ring." He said with a shrug. "I wanted to find one with maybe a design or a gemstone-"

"It's perfect, Bilbo." Nixie said making him smile with a light blush. She suddenly remembered a question she had been meaning to ask him. "Bilbo?"

"Yeah?"

"What's a kiss?" Nixie asked. Bilbo blinked with wide eyes.

"Wha-what?"

"A kiss."

"Wh-where did-?"

"I read it in one of the books you lent me." She said. "What is it?"

"Um… it's something two people do when they like each other."

"We like each other, how come we've never kissed?" Nixie asked tilting her head innocently to the side.

"Uh… it's only when two people like each other a lot, like _a lot._"

"I like you a lot." Nixie said with a smile. Bilbo shook his head.

"No I mean…" Nixie frowned in confusion. "When two people… _love_ each other in a romantic way."

"What is love?" Nixie asked frowning even more. Bilbo swallowed and hesitated.

"Close your eyes." He said. She did and he leaned down slowly to gently place his lips against hers. Nixie's eyes shot open and she blinked in surprise. Bilbo had his eyes closed and kept them closed even after he'd pulled away. After a moment he opened them but didn't look at her.

"Bilbo?" Nixie whispered. He suddenly got up and ran away. "Bilbo!" Nixie called. She put a hand over her chest and frowned in confusion as she watched him go.

* * *

**I would've loved to have more cute scenes but I ran out of cute ideas. I could possibly have them be flashbacks later on if I think of them later. ^^**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, its characters or plot, I do however own my OC Nixie, anything new added and pretty much anything about Nixie.**

**Next chapter is a lot longer than this and previous chapters. (I made this its own chapter cause I needed to shorten it somehow.)**

* * *

Guilt washed over Bilbo when he woke the morning after kissing Nixie and running away. He'd panicked, he wasn't expecting her to ask what she did and he hadn't planned on kissing her. It was an impulse that he only partly regretted acting on. When he was younger and his mother would tell stories about mermaids most of the stories were happy but some of them told about how mermaids would trick men into loving them and how they themselves couldn't love. He didn't know which stories to believe. Mermaids were only legends before he met her, who's to say what else from the legends were true. Was what he was feeling true or just a trick?

Weeks later Nixie waited patiently at the water's edge for Bilbo to return. She'd made a necklace out of a shell and a small chain she'd found at the bottom of the lake for him as an apology for whatever she did wrong. She'd tried to get out of the lake on her own multiple times but she didn't have the strength to pull herself out. She would have to just wait for him to come back.

* * *

Around 30 years later, after the flowers on the rock had long since withered away to nothing, Nixie lay with her head on her arms across a rock. She fiddled with the little silver ring on her finger and sighed. She hadn't taken it off since the day he'd kissed her. He hadn't returned, not even to retrieve his books which were ruined since Nixie had no place dry to keep them safe from the elements. There were many days she longed to leave the lake and find him but she still couldn't get out of the water without his help and she had convinced herself long ago that he wanted nothing to do with her. He'd probably forgotten all about her. She looked exactly the same, as young as she was back then, the only differences were that her hair was longer, her once bright purple eyes had become a dull pale purple and she found herself sighing quite often.

Just as Nixie let out another sigh she heard a noise in the woods. She quickly lowered herself into the water to peek out from behind the rock. Her heart used to fill with hope whenever she'd hear a sound coming from the woods in the direction he would come from. She'd learned not to let that happen anymore. She knew no one was coming to see her ever again, which was why she was so surprised when she saw a wizard walking towards the lake. He had raggedy grey robes, a large pointy hat and a wooden staff.

"I know you're there, come out." He said. "You don't have to be afraid." Nixie didn't move. "Alright, if you don't wish to show yourself, I request that you just listen." He cleared his throat. "My name is Gandalf the Grey, I'm a wizard." _Go away_, her mind begged. _Just leave me alone._ "I understand that you know a hobbit by the name of Bilbo Baggins." Nixie couldn't help it, she popped up from behind the rock, her eyes wide. Gandalf smiled. "There you are." Nixie could hear surprised whispers and murmurs coming from somewhere behind him and she scanned the trees in fear. "Don't worry, dear, we're not here to harm you. He motioned to whoever was behind the trees. All at once, eight dwarves came out from behind the trees. Nixie ducked down and heard Gandalf sigh. "Didn't I tell you _one at a time_?" She heard a few mumbled apologies from the dwarves. Gandalf turned back to her. "We're not going to hurt you, dear. Would you please come out?"

"Who are you?" She called out. "What do you want?"

"You do know Bilbo Baggins, don't you?"

"I did." She said quietly but loud enough for him to hear her.

"Well myself and these fine dwarves wish to recruit him as the 14th member of our company."

"There are only nine of you." She said. "I'm not stupid, I can count." She said quietly, more to herself then him. "He probably still lives at Bag End. If that's all then, could you please leave me be?"

"That's not why we are here." Gandalf said. "Would you please come out so I can speak to you properly?" He sounded like he was getting annoyed. Nixie hesitated but ducked under the water and popped up in front of them. The dwarves all looked surprised and Gandalf smiled.

"What do you want?" She asked, her voice coming out as a whisper.

"You know Master Baggins well." He waited for her to respond but she only looked at him. "I would like to ask you to be the 15th member of our company."

"Gandalf, you never said she was a mermaid." One of the dwarves said. Nixie looked at him and he flinched back. She frowned sadly and moved back, a look of sad confusion flashed across her face.

"Now look what you've done, Dori." Another, with a hat, said. "He didn't mean any offence by it, ma'am." He said with a kind smile. Nixie looked up at Gandalf.

"Why do you want _me_ to come?"

"Bilbo's changed since he was younger." Gandalf said as watched sadly as Nixie lowered her head. "I'm hoping this adventure will do him some good."

"That doesn't explain what _I_ have to do with it."

"I think it would do some good for you too."

"You don't even know me." Nixie said with a frown.

"Don't you wish to see him again?"

"Of course I do… but he doesn't want to see me."

"Nonsense!" Gandalf said with a frown. "If he didn't want to see you would he still carry around that shell you gave him." Nixie's eyes lit up. "I know you want to see him. It couldn't hurt." Nixie frowned.

"Yes it could." She put a hand over her heart. "It could hurt a lot." She whispered and closed her eyes. The dwarves looked at her sympathetically.

"Well, should you change your mind we'll be at Bag En-" Gandalf turned to start walking away.

"Wait!" He stopped and turned back to her. "I… I can't get out by myself."

"I'll help you." One of the dwarves said walking over.

"Ori!" Dori said with wide eyes as his brother started to help the mermaid out of the water.

"What, are we supposed to carry her all the way there?" A dwarf with a large red beard asked.

"That won't be necessary, Gloin." Gandalf said as Nixie's tail melted away. All the dwarves averted their eye, awkwardly, out of respect. Gandalf held out a tunic for her to put on. It went down to her knees and made her look smaller than she really was. "I take it you'll be joining us then." Gandalf said with a smile.

"If it turns out he still doesn't like me I'm coming right back." She said. Gandalf frowned sympathetically but nodded.

"Of course." He turned to the dwarves. "I should probably introduce you all." As he said this, the dwarves lined up and when Gandalf gestured to each of them they bowed. "Dori, Ori, Nori, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Oin and Gloin." He said. Nixie nodded.

"And what is your name, miss?" Ori asked.

"Nixie." She said before mimicking a bow.

"Well, we best be off." Gandalf said.

"Are the rest of them dwarves?" Nixie asked as they began to walk. "The other five?"

"Yes." Gandalf said with a nod.

"A company of 13 dwarves, one hobbit, a wizard and a mermaid." She said. "What is it we'll be doing?"

"All will be explained soon." Gandalf said with a smile. "Don't worry." Nixie nodded.

"I find it hard to believe he would allow 13 dwarves into his home." Nixie mused. Gandalf cleared his throat and tried to suppress a smile. "He doesn't know, does he?" She asked noticing the smile. Gandalf remained silent but let his smile show. Nixie looked back at the dwarves and noticed a few still looked wearily. Nixie slowed her pace to match Bifur's.

"What is that in your head?" She asked innocently looking at the broken off axe blade. Bifur responded in a language Nixie couldn't understand and loud enough to make her hide behind Bofur who had to laugh.

"He can't speak common tongue because of that axe." He explained. "And we can't remove it."

"Why is he so angry at me?" Nixie asking as she looked up at Bofur with watery eyes. Bofur's face softened as put a hand on her shoulder.

"He's not angry, that's just how he talks." Nixie peeked out from beside Bofur at Bifur who blinked at her. "He won't bite." Bofur said gently pushing her back until she was on his other side next to Bifur. She held her hands in front of her with her shoulders rolled forward as she glanced at him nervously. She moved back towards Bofur who gently pushed her back with a chuckle. Bifur said something and Nixie quickly looked at Bofur with big eyes.

"What did he say?"

"He said he's sorry for frightening you." Bofur said with a smile. Nixie turned back to him with a small smile.

"It's okay." Bifur smiled back and suddenly patted her on the back making her jump but giggle slightly as he continued to smile.

* * *

**I know the 30 years thing was a big jump but I told you guys I ran outta cute ideas (When I get more I'll add them as flashbacks though) plus they were in their 20s at the end of the last chap (And start of this one) and Bilbo has to be 50 for the movie/book events. (I'm doing this based off movie btw)**

**Hope the whole depressing Nixie didn't make anyone too sad. **


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, its characters or plot, I do however own my OC Nixie, anything new added and pretty much anything about Nixie.**

**I'm posting this from school which is nice cause I have nothing to do this period and technically the class IS creative writing. **

**Silent Kage: Whenever she's submerged in water yes. But if it's raining her skin will just start to look a bit scaly and shiny. **

**THANK YOU to everyone who reviews, follows and favorited. ^_^**

**Hey if you're on Wattpad I have a "book" called CrimsonAdri's Update Log (my other username) and I post every week/every other week/or at least once a month a progress report. If you want to follow it so you know where I am with any of my stories I suggest you do. **

* * *

Soon they entered the Shire and Nixie looked around remembering when Bilbo had first taken her there and seeing what had changed. She didn't even have to consciously follow the others, she knew the way to Bag End by heart, even after so long. As they approached the door she noticed something was glowing in the moonlight that stopped once Gandalf's shadow covered it. Bofur knocked on the door and the dwarves all pushed forward. Nixie's heart flew to her throat and she found it hard to breathe when she heard _his_ voice from inside.

"If- if- If this is some clotterd's idea of a joke, ha ha, I can only say, it is in _very_ poor taste." Bilbo opened the door causing the dwarves to all fall in a pile onto the floor. He looked at Gandalf with a sigh as Gandalf smiled.

"Gandalf." Bilbo said. Gandalf looked beside him then blinked and looked behind him. Nixie looked up at him, her eyes wide.

"Bilbo," Gandalf said. "I'm sure you remember," Gandalf put a hand on her back to push her out from behind him despite her protest. "Nixie." Bilbo's eyes widened and he stared at her. She avoided looking at him. The dwarves all got up and entered the house, pushing Bilbo back as they headed to the pantry. Gandalf entered leading Nixie, who quickly ran into the dining room, while Bilbo tried to get the dwarves to stop raiding his pantry. As Nixie entered the dining room she bumped into someone and as she fell back they quickly caught her.

"Whoa there." She looked up at a black haired dwarf. He looked a bit surprised but smiled down at her. "Hello." A bald dwarf next to him looked to Gandalf.

"Who's this, Gandalf?" He asked. Gandalf ducked into the room and started to help set the table.

"This is Nixie, a good friend of Bilbo's." Gandalf said. Nixie frowned. "Nixie, this is Dwalin, his brother Balin," He gestured to the white bearded dwarf. "And brothers Fili and Kili."

"Fili." The blond said as he walked past her with a small wink.

"Kili." The dwarf still holding her said with a grin. Bilbo, while trying to stop the dwarves from bringing in more chairs and food, glanced into the dining room and frowned.

"_Hey_, get your hands off her." He snapped, forgetting all the other chaos in the room. Kili blinked as his eyebrows went up but let go of Nixie who had started to blush slightly. Gandalf ducked into the room Bilbo was in as Kili went to help his brother bring in a barrel of ale. Nixie moved into the corner of the dining room away from everyone else. Balin approached her.

"I've never had the pleasure of meeting a mermaid." He said with a smile. "Thought they were only a legend." Nixie's eyebrows went up. "Gandalf told me before hand." He explained. Nixie brushed her hair behind her ear before wringing her wrists. "No need to be so nervous, lassie, they're all a friendly bunch."

"They're not who I'm worried about." She said quietly as she watched Bilbo talking with Gandalf. Balin followed her eyes.

"I'd say he's the most harmless out of all of us." Balin said with a chuckle.

"We used to be close." She whispered. "I miss him." She closed her eyes and put her hands over her heart, one hand over a fist. Balin frowned and put a hand on her shoulder. He saw Bilbo look over and do a double take when he saw Nixie looking like she was in pain. His eyes looked sad and concerned as he opened his mouth as if he wanted to call out to her. Suddenly Kili was in front of her, blocking Bilbo's view.

"Why the long face?" Kili asked. Nixie opened her eyes to look up at him and blink. "Come join us." He slung an arm around her shoulder and led her over to the table with the others while she reached up to feel her face. He pulled over a chair and they sat down with Nixie between the two brothers.

"There're not enough chairs if I sit here." Nixie said as she started to get up. "I'm fine standing over-"

"Oh no you don't." Kili took her hand, his own encompassed her's easily. "Here." He motioned for Fili to move to the seat where she had been sitting and turned in his seat to allow Nixie to sit on his leg. She blinked and her cheeks turned a pale purple. Kili chuckled and patted her on the back.

* * *

The dwarves were sitting in Bilbo's dining room, having a grand feast with all his food. They were quite rude and messy about it. Nixie was still sitting on Kili's leg as she nibbled on a piece of bread. Bofur threw some food to his brother, Bombur.

"Bombur, catch!" He said. Bombur caught the food in his mouth, and everyone cheered. As everyone began throwing food around, Bilbo walked away in disgust. He looked at his pantry in shock; it had been entirely cleared of food. Fili walked on top of the table, carrying several cups of ale and knocking aside the food in his way.

"Who wants an ale? There you go." He said.

"Let him have another drink!" Dwalin said. He poured his ale into Oin's hearing trumpet, and as Oin spluttered in anger, everyone else laughed. Oin put his hearing trumpet to his mouth and blew the ale out of it, making it squeal.

"Here you go." Fili said.

"On the count of three!" One of the dwarves yelled and the dwarves pounded their tankards together. Someone else counted, "One!...Two!" Then all the dwarves went quiet and began drinking their ale together. They were incredibly messy, as ale fell all over their faces and ran down their beards. When finished drinking, they began burping; Ori, let out the biggest burp. The dwarves laughed. Bilbo looked away in disgust. Nixie looked at Kili's tankard curiously; he noticed her look and offered it to her. Bilbo saw this and his eyes widened.

"No no no!" He said walking halfway over. "She doesn't need that." Kili rolled his eyes and Nixie frowned before taking the tankard and taking a drink from what was left. Bilbo's eyes widened and Kili chuckled. A moment later she lowered the tankard with a weird face as she swallowed the foreign liquid. The dwarves around her started laughing as she stuck her tongue out in disgust and Fili patted her on the back. Bilbo frowned with a sigh.

Nixie remained by either Fili or Kili until the dwarves were done eating. Bilbo and Gandalf were talking in the hall when Ori asked what he was supposed to do with his plate. Fili took it and tossed it to his brother who then tossed it to Bifur who was by the sink. He caught it behind his back, without even looking at it. Kili, Fili, and other dwarves began throwing the plates, bowls, and utensils to each other, eventually throwing them to Bifur to be washed. As dishware flew through the air, Gandalf ducked to avoid getting hit.

"Oh!" He quickly moved to the side.

"Excuse me, that's my mother's West Farthing crockery, it's over a hundred years old!" Bilbo said. The dwarves at the tablet began rhythmically drumming on the tablet with utensils and their fists. "And can-can you not do that? You'll blunt them!"

"Ooh, d'hear that, lads? He says we'll blunt the knives." Bofur said. Kili began singing and the other dwarves joined him, as they continued throwing the dishes.

_ "Blunt the knives, bend the forks_

_Smash the bottles and burn the corks_

_Chip the glasses and crack the plates_

_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!_

_Cut the cloth and tread on the fat_

_Leave the bones on the bedroom mat_

_Pour the milk on the pantry floor_

_Splash the wine on every door_

_Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl_

_Pound them up with a thumping pole_

_When you've finished, if any are whole_

_Send them down the hall to roll_

_..._

_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!"_

Bilbo pushed his way past the dwarves, only to find all the dishes stacked neatly and cleanly. The dwarves and Gandalf laughed. Nixie was giggling with her hand over her mouth. Bilbo couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips when he heard the sound. Suddenly, there were three loud knocks on the door, and everyone fell silent.

"He is here." Gandalf said.

* * *

They opened the door to reveal another dwarf. He smiled at Gandalf.

"Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find." He said as he entered. "I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door."

"Mark? There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago!" Bilbo said.

"There is a mark; I put it there myself." Gandalf said. "Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."

"So, this is the hobbit. Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?" Thorin asked.

"Pardon me?" Bilbo asked.

"Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice?"

"Well, I have some skill at Conkers, if you must know, but I fail to see why that's relevant."

"Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar." The dwarves all laughed, and they walked back to the dining table. As Thorin followed them he noticed Nixie peeking out from behind the entryway to the other end of the hall. "Who's this?" He asked turning to Gandalf with a frown.

"This is Nixie." Gandalf motioned for her to step out. She did so hesitantly and bowed. Her hair fell forward and when she stood up she brushed it behind her ears revealing the points of them.

"Elf?" Thorin growled. Nixie stood up straighter and tilted her head to the side. Gandalf shook his head.

"No no, she is a mermaid." He said. Thorin looked at him incredulously.

"It doesn't appear that way to me." He said. "Even so, what is she doing here?"

"She's to join us as well." Thorin frowned.

"You never mentioned her."

"Trust me; she will be very helpful if we're to succeed." Gandalf said. Thorin looked at him silently for a moment before turning and entering the dining room. As he ate, the rest of the dwarves talked to him.

"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?" Balin asked.

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms." The dwarves murmured their joy.

"What do the dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?" Dwalin asked.

"They will not come." The dwarves murmured in disappointment. "They say this quest is ours, and ours alone."

"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo asked.

"Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light." Gandalf said. Bilbo brought a candle to the table, where Gandalf had spread out a map that was in his pocket. "Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak."

"The Lonely Mountain." Bilbo read.

"Aye. Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time." Gloin said.

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold: When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end." Oin said. Bilbo, hearing "the beast," looked concerned.

"Uh, What beast?" Bilbo asked.

"Well that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age." Bofur said. "Airborne fire-breather, teeth like razors, claws like meathooks, extremely fond of precious metals-"

"Yes, I know what a dragon is." Bilbo said.

"I'm not afraid! I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie." Ori said standing. Several dwarves shouted.

"Sit down!" Dori said to his brother before pulling back down.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us. But we number just thirteen, and not thirteen of the best, nor brightest." Blain said. The dwarves started objecting, saying things like, "Hey, who are you calling dim?" "Watch it!", and "No!"

"What did he say?" Oin asked.

"We may be few in number, but we're fighters, all of us, to the last dwarf!" Fili said.

"And you forget, we have a wizard in our company. Gandalf will have killed _hundreds_ of dragons in his time." Kili said.

"Oh, well, now, uh, I-I-I wouldn't say that, I- -" Gandalf tried to say.

"How many, then?" Dori asked.

"Uh, what?"

"Well, how many dragons have you killed? Go on, give us a number!"

"Hm." Gandalf embarrassedly started coughing on his pipe smoke; the dwarves jumped to their feet, arguing about the number of dragons Gandalf had killed. Thorin jumped up in anger and bellowed, silencing the rest.

"_Shazara!_ (Silence!) If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumours have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east to the Mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor? _Du Bekâr! Du Bekâr! (_To arms! To arms!)" All the dwarves cheered.

"You forget: the front gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain." Balin said.

"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true." Gandalf said. Twiddling his fingers, he produced a dwarvish key, ornately wrought. Thorin looked at it in wonder.

"How came you by this?" Thorin asked.

"It was given to me by your father, by Thrain, for safekeeping. It is yours now." Gandalf said handing him the key as everyone looked on in awe.

"If there is a key, there must be a door." Fili said. Gandalf pointed at runes on his map with his pipe.

"These runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls." He said.

"There's another way in!" Kili said.

"Well, if we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle-earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But, if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar." Ori said.

"Hm, A good one, too. An expert, I'd imagine." Bilbo said.

"And are you?" Gloin asked.

"Am I what?"

"He said he's an expert! Hey hey!" Oin said having misheard him. Several dwarves laughed.

"M-Me? No, no, no, no, no. I'm not a burglar; I've never stolen a thing in my life." Bilbo said.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material." Balin said. Bilbo nodded in agreement.

"Aye, the wild is no place for gentlefolk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves." Dwalin said. Bilbo continued nodding in agreement; the dwarves began arguing. Gandalf, growing angry, rose to his full height and casted darkness over the group as he started speaking in his "powerful" voice. The others stopped in awe.

"Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is." He said before sitting back down. "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest, and he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself. You must trust me on this."

"Very well. We will do it your way." Thorin said.

"No, no, no." Bilbo tried.

"Give him the contract." Thorin said.

"Please." Bilbo said.

"Alright, we're off!" Bofur said. Balin handed Bilbo a long contract.

"It's just the usual summary of out-of-pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth." Balin said.

"Funeral arrangements?" Bilbo asked. He stepped back a few feet to read the contract. Bilbo read parts of the contract out loud. "Terms: Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one fourteenth of total profit, if any. Seems fair. Eh, Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to lacerations ... evisceration … incineration?"

"Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bofur said. Bilbo looked a little breathless.

"Huh." He said.

"You all right, laddie?" Balin asked. Bilbo bent over looking nauseous and pained.

"Uh, yeah...Feel a bit faint." Bilbo said.

"Think furnace with wings." Bofur said.

"Air, I-I-I need air."

"Flash of light, searing pain, then Poof! you're nothing more than a pile of ash." Bilbo breathed heavily, trying to compose himself as the others stared at him.

"Hmmm. Nope." He said just before fainting and falling down.

"Ah, very helpful, Bofur." Gandalf said. Nixie let out a gasp and hurried over to him. Gandalf picked up the hobbit and put him in an armchair. He looked back at Nixie to see her crouched on the ground and staring at something she was holding something in her hands. In her hands she held the first shell she'd given Bilbo; it had slipped out of his pocket when he fell. Nixie looked up at Gandalf who smiled before going into the kitchen to make some tea. Nixie walked into the kitchen with him and sat on the edge of the table and held the shell in her hands.

…

Gandalf brought the tea out to Bilbo who was still in the chair.

"I'll be all right, let me just sit quietly for a moment." Bilbo said.

"You've been sitting quietly for far too long. Tell me; when did doilies and your mother's dishes become so important to you? I remember a young Hobbit who always was running off in search of elves and the woods, who'd stay out late, come home after dark, trailing mud and twigs and fireflies. Who befriended a mermaid." He added softly making Bilbo look at him. "A young Hobbit who would have liked nothing better than to find out what was beyond the borders of the Shire. The world is not in your books and maps; it's out there."

"I can't just go running off into the blue. I am a Baggins, of Bag End." Bilbo said.

"You are also a Took. Did you know that your great-great-great-great-uncle, Bullroarer Took, was so large he could ride a real horse?"

"Yes."

"Well he could. In the Battle of Green Fields, he charged the goblin ranks. He swung his club so hard it knocked the Goblin King's head clean off, and it sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit hole. And thus the battle was won, and the game of golf invented at the same time."

"I do believe you made that up."

"Well, all good stories deserve embellishment. You'll have a tale or two to tell of your own when you come back."

"Can you promise that I will come back?"

"No. And if you do, you will not be the same."

"That's what I thought. Sorry, Gandalf, I can't sign this. You've got the wrong Hobbit." He put his mug down and walked down the hall. Gandalf sighs. Balin and Thorin saw Bilbo walking away from their spot in the hallway.

"It appears we have lost our burglar." Balin said. "Probably for the best. The odds were always against us. After all, what are we? Merchants, miners, tinkers, toy-makers; hardly the stuff of legend."

"There are a few warriors amongst us." Thorin said.

"Old warriors."

"I will take each and every one of these dwarves over an army from the Iron Hills. For when I called upon them, they came. Loyalty. Honor. A willing heart. I can ask no more than that."

"You don't have to do this. You have a choice. You've done honorably by our people. You have built a new life for us in the Blue Mountains, a life of peace and plenty. A life that is worth more than all the gold in Erebor." Thorin held out the key Gandalf gave him.

"From my grandfather to my father, this has come to me. They dreamt of the day when the dwarves of Erebor would reclaim their homeland. There is no choice, Balin. Not for me."

"Then we are with you, laddie. We will see it done."

"Um…" The two turned to see Nixie standing there, her hands gripping the shell and her shirt. She stared at the ground nervously. "Could I perhaps be your burglar?" She glanced up at them. They were frowning.

"It is no place for a woman let alone a water nymph." Thorin said. Nixie bit her bottom lip.

"B-But I can be light on my feet just like _him_ and I'm sure the dragon doesn't know what I smell like." The two looked at each other. "Please?" They looked at her. "I-I don't want to go back to the lake." Balin looked at Thorin who nodded after a moment. Balin sighed and nodded as well.

"You best look over that contract, lassie." he said nodding to the folded up paper still by Bilbo's armchair. "You do know how to read, don't you?"

"Of course I do!" Nixie said before blushing at her own outburst. Balin smiled at her. She went into the living room and picked up the contract before sitting in the armchair with her legs to her chest.

…

After reading about a quarter of the contract Nixie heard Bilbo run down the hall and speak to the first dwarf he ran into.

"Have you seen a little blue and white shell anywhere?" he asked. Bofur shook his head.

"No. Did you lose it?"

"No, no." Bilbo started frantically looking along the floor. "I couldn't have… it was in my pocket, it was in my…" he trailed off as he remembered he fainted in the den. Nixie was looking down at the shell in her hand and looked up when Bilbo ran into the room. He started looking along the floor before he froze and turned to her. She swallowed and put the shell on the foot stool in front of her. Bilbo looked from her to the shell and back. He hesitantly took a few steps forward and picked it up. He was about to turn and leave when he saw she was holding the contract and a quill. "What are you doing with that?" he asked. Nixie's throat was suddenly extremely dry as she opened her mouth. Bilbo looked from the contract to her and finally met her eyes. She quickly ducked her head down against her knees, the contract blocking her face.

"I'm sorry." she said, her voice coming out as a whisper. Bilbo blinked in surprise. He didn't know what to say to that. What was she apologizing for? Gandalf noticed Bilbo standing there and frowned slightly when he saw Nixie tense and hiding her face. Bilbo opened his mouth to respond but a pain in his chest made him close it again before leaving the room, clutching the shell tightly.

The dwarves gathered in Bilbo's living room, smoking their pipes by the fire. Nixie was still sitting in the armchair with the contract signed and on the footstool. The dwarves all began humming, and soon Thorin began to sing, and the others joined him. Gandalf listened from nearby; Bilbo listened from his bedroom. After a few lines Nixie started humming as well. Bilbo closed his eyes as his ears singled out the one sound.


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, its characters or plot, I do however own my OC Nixie, anything new added and pretty much anything about Nixie.**

**Haven't posted in forever and I'm really really sorry about that. I'm going to try to get back into writing my Hobbit fics. **

**Thank you everyone who reviewed I'm glad you're liking the story so far and hope you enjoy the rest to come. ^_^**

* * *

The next morning Bilbo woke up on his bed, and suddenly realized that his house was very quiet. He walked all around his house expecting to run into the dwarves; however, there was no one there. The house had been cleaned up completely from the mess of the party last night, almost as if it had never happened.

"Hello?" Bilbo called. He looked a bit lonesome. Bilbo saw the contract sitting on a table; he looked at it, then looked up with a determined face. He quickly grabbed his knapsack and packed supplies before grabbing the contract. When he lifted it he saw that underneath it was a shell necklace that he remembered seeing on Nixie the night before. Beneath the necklace was a small note. Bilbo frowned picking up both. Nixie's had writing looked like that of a child's but she spelled everything correctly and it was just neat enough for Bilbo to read it.

_Bilbo,_

_I'm sorry for what I did back then. I didn't mean to. I had made you this necklace as an apology and was going to give it to you when you came back to see me but you never did. I wish I knew what I did wrong so I could have fixed it. I hope you also forgive me for going with them._

_Nixie_

Bilbo frowned.

"Going with them?" he asked aloud. His eyes widened and he quickly opened the contract. There at the very bottom was Nixie's scribbled out signature. "Oh no." He quickly signed the contract himself before folding it all back up. He looked at the necklace in his hand and put it on before running out the door.

* * *

"Are we there yet?" Nixie whimpered. She was sitting behind Kili, clinging to him.

"Just relax." he said back to her. "You're only a few feet off the ground."

"Why can't I just walk?" she whined into his back.

"Because then you would become tired much faster." Kili said. "You trust me, don't you? I won't let you fall."

"I only met you last night. Why should I trust you?" she asked innocently.

"Well I'd like to think we could become good friends." Kili said looking back at her.

"Friends…" she said with a frown.

"Pretty girl like you must have friends." Kili said with a smile. "Other mermaids perhaps." he added with a shrug. When she didn't reply he glanced back at her. "No?" Her grip on the front of his shirt tightened and he frowned. "Are you alright?" She nodded against his back.

"What have you done now, Kili?" Fili asked as his pony moved to walk alongside his brother's.

"I didn't do anything!" Kili said with wide eyes.

"What's the matter, luv?" Fili asked. Nixie peeked out at him at the familiar word.

"My chest hurts." She mumbled. Fili frowned and Kili looked back in concern.

"Your chest? Where?" Fili asked. Nixie leaned back slightly and pointed. "For how long?"

"A long time." she said as she rested her cheek against Kili's back. The two brothers exchanged a look. Suddenly they heard Bilbo shouting as he ran after them.

"Wait! Wait!" Some dwarves called "Woah!" and stopped their ponies. Bilbo caught up to them and handed Balin the contract. "I signed it!" Balin took the contract and inspected it with a pocket-glass. He then smiled at Bilbo.

"Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield." The dwarves cheered. Thorin didn't look too impressed.

"Give him a pony." Thorin said.

"No, no, no, no, that-that won't be necessary, thank you, but I-I'm sure I can keep up on foot. I- I-I've done my fair share of walking holidays, you know. I even got as far as Frogmorton once-WAGH!" Bilbo's speech was cut off as two of the dwarves rode alongside him and picked him up from behind to put him on a pony. Bilbo grabbed the reins and looked extremely uncomfortable.

"Nixie." Bilbo said. Kili felt the girl tense behind him and looked back at her. "Go home."

"Home?" she asked in a whispered. "I don't have a _home_."

"The lake. Your lake. Go back." He said as he moved up to Kili's pony.

"Away from you." Bilbo blinked. "That's what you're really saying. Go away from you." She had her face hidden against Kili's back.

"No." Bilbo said. "Back where it's safe. You've never left the Shire let alone your lake."

"It's not my lake." she looked at him. "It was our…" His face softened and Nixie's eyes landed on the shell around his neck. She looked back up to meet his eyes. He was the one to look away and saw a few of the dwarves were watching them curiously. Kili turned his head to look back at Nixie.

"Are you alright, Nix?" he asked and noticed she flinched.

"Please don't call me that." Kili nodded and put a hand over hers on his shirt.

* * *

The company had camped for the night near the edge of a cliff. As Gloin slept, tiny flying insects got sucked into his mouth every time he inhaled, and they were expelled when he exhaled. Bilbo watched in disgust, then finally got up and walked around. Most of the dwarves were asleep; Gandalf, Fili, and Kili, and Nixie were awake. Bilbo walked over to his pony and gave her an apple, after checking to see that no one was looking.

"Hello, girl. That's a good girl. It's our little secret, Myrtle; you must tell no one. sh, sh" Bilbo said. A scream sounded in the night air and Bilbo became worried. He ran over to Fili and Kili. He saw Nixie hugging Fili's arm with her eyes wide. Fili gently stroked her head.

"What was that?" Bilbo asked.

"Orcs." Kili said. Another scream sounded. Thorin, who was dozing, jerked awake upon hearing the word "Orcs."

"Orcs?" Bilbo asked.

"Throat-cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them." Fili said. Nixie tensed and Fili put a hand over hers.

"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood." Kili said. Bilbo looked away in fright; Fili and Kili looked at each other and Kili started snickering as Fili smiled.

"You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?" Thorin asked.

"We didn't mean anything by it." Kili said.

"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." Thorin said. Thorin walked off to the edge of the cliff and looked out over the valley. Fili felt Nixie shaking life a leaf beside him gave her hand a squeeze.

"Nothing's gunna get you." He whispered to her. Bilbo found himself frowning and wishing Nixie would come to him for comfort. Balin walked up to the group.

"Don't mind him, laddie." He said to Bilbo. "Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs. After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first." Balin proceeded to tell Bilbo about the battle of Moria and Azog, the Defiler and how Azog had beheaded Thorin's grandfather, the king. "Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us. That is when I saw him: a young dwarf prince facing down the Pale Orc. He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armor rent…wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield. Azog, the Defiler, learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived. And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King." Balin looked to Thorin. Thorin turned away from the view beyond the cliff; the entire Company was awake and standing in awe, staring at him. Thorin walked between them toward the fire.

"But the pale orc? What happened to him?" Bilbo asked.

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago." Thorin said. Balin and Gandalf shared a look.

"Hey, where's Nixie?" Bofur asked when he noticed the white haired girl was missing. Bilbo's head snapped up and he looked around. Gandalf smiled.

"See, she can be quiet and unseen." he said. Bilbo stood.

"Is there water anywhere around here?" he asked.

"I believe there's a small pond nearby." Gandalf said.

"Which way?" Gandalf pointed and Bilbo quickly went off.

"What's with them?" Dori asked.

"Do they know each other or not?" Nori asked.

"That is not my story to tell." Gandalf said.

…

Bilbo heard a soft splashing and followed the sound to find Nixie sitting on the edge of the pond with her legs to her chest. She was playing with a stick in the water. He heard her sniffle slightly and took a few steps towards her.

"Nixie?" With a gasp she stood and whirled around. She tripped over her own feet and started to fall back into the pond. Bilbo's eyes widened and he quickly moved forward and grabbed her hand but ended up falling with her. Both stared at the other with wide eyes as they were soaking went. Bilbo quickly got up and went to offer her a hand when he saw that her pants had been completely destroyed when her tail came back. "Oh dear." Nixie had her head down, her hair falling to cover her eyes, and her arms wrapped around herself. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you and make you… fall." he said. She sniffled slightly again and rubbed her nose on the back of her hand. "Are you crying?" Bilbo asked as his face softened. She shook her head but hid her face in her hands as her shoulders shook. "D-Don't cry." Bilbo said holding out his hands. There was a rustle behind him and he turned to see Kili.

"Gandalf sent me to fetch you, didn't think it wise you be out here alone-" He noticed Nixie and his eyes widened. The shock wore off quickly as he realized she was crying. "What's wrong, luv?" He asked as he crouched next to her. "Come 'ere." He gently picked her up out of the water and soon her tail melted away. He stood her on her feet and quickly took off his coat before wrapping it around her and scooping her back up. "What did you do?" Kili asked with a frown as he looked at Bilbo. Bilbo quickly shook his head and held his hands up in defense.

"I didn't do anything! I-I only startled her by accident and … we fell." Bilbo finished quietly. It was then Kili noticed the hobbit was also soaking wet.

"Well come on then, you'll have to dry by the fire." Kili said before he started to bring Nixie back to the camp. She had a grip on his shirt and her face was against his chest.

* * *

When the three returned to the ohters Gandalf stood.

"What happened?" He asked quietly, so as not to wake the sleeping dwarves. Bilbo went to sit by the fire while Kili put Nixie down. She stayed beside him and kept a hand on his sleeve. He stroked her hair comfortingly.

"They fell in the water. You brought extra trousers for her didn't you?" Kili asked. Gandalf frowned.

"I thought she'd be more careful." he said quietly.

"I'm sorry." Nixie said quietly as she lowered her head to let her hair hide her face.

"It's alright dear, I'm sure Bilbo has some clothes you can borrow." Gandalf said. When he saw the discomfort on her face he cleared his throat. "Or maybe one of the dwarves has an extra pair. Might be a bit too big for you but that's what belts are for." Nixie nodded. Kili put his arm around her shoulders.

"Come, I've an extra pair." he said to her with a kind smile.

…

"She looks adorable." Fili said trying to hold back a smile. "She looks so tiny in your clothes." Kili snickered as Nixie blinked at them. The trousers she was wearing were extremely baggy and were pulled up high with a rope belt. She was still wearing Kili's coat the sleeves extended past her arms by at least six inches. She held up her arms to look at the sleeves.

"She's so cute." Kili said with a smile. Bilbo narrowed his eyes at them but even he had to admit Nixie looked absolutely precious.

"Why are you two laughing?" Nixie asked tilting her head, making the two smile even more.

"It's nothing, luv." Kili said.

"Come on, we should get some rest." Fili said. Nixie looked down at her feet.

"Nixie?" Kili asked. She looked at him. He motioned her over. She walked over to him as he laid down. She laid down beside him and he extended his arm to be her pillow. Bilbo frowned.

"What are you doing?" He asked. Nixie and Kili looked at him.

"Going to sleep." Kili said. "You should too." Bilbo pointed between the two.

"You-you shouldn't- she…" He said. Nixie blinked and started to sit up.

"No, you're fine, go to sleep." Kili said softly to her. Bilbo frowned as Nixie laid back down.

* * *

**I'll try to have another chapter up soon. Hope you're enjoying the story. **


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